Placing an image into a custom shape in Adobe Express

[Michele S Jennings]

I used to be able to place an image into a custom shape, but now I don't see that as an option. The only thing I see (and I don't see it in the Beta version) is to crop to a shape, but the shape closest to what I need is the wrong orientation. What am I missing and why is it so hard to find this out?

The app is far from user friendly so far. This can't compete with Canva if it is not intuitive. 

[Henrik Heigl]

Hi,

what exactly do you mean or better what do you want to accomplish? For a Text I had placed a shape and the generated an Image that fits into that shape.

You also can crop the Image to whatever shape you want.

That Forms are the same Forms that are present in the actual (non-Beta) Version of Express.

Hope that helps.

[Michele S Jennings]

No, I have to place an image into a hexagon shape, with the flat sides on top and bottom. The crop to shape has a hexagon, but not with that orientation. If I create a shape using the shapes tool, I used to be able to paste an image into the hexagon shape (the hexagon becomes the frame). Now, I can't see a way to do it in the current or beta version. Our brand requires most images be placed into the hexagon shape described above.

[Daniel Beiter]

Same here: Our brand requires crops/cutouts in certain shapes, too. One of these shapes looks like a drop (e.g. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0TtYY-vRTK/?img_index=1), another one looks like a crest or a shield (e.g. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0CJTyyo1v-/?img_index=2). We did try various workarounds such as using combinations of rectangular and circle image crops, yet these methods would be far too complicated for everyday use.

Therefore we kindly ask you to implement a possibility to create or import custom shapes that can be used for image cropping in Express.

[Daniel Beiter]

P.S.: I'm confused why the URL below my actual message became part of my post, although I'm sure that I had deleted it from my draft previously... Anyway, here you can see another example of the mentioned drop shape.

[Michele S Jennings]

Our situation is similar. Our product lines want to be able to swap out photos in the hexagons that must be oriented a certain way. I used to be able to do it in Express, now I can't. So our clients can't really edit those the way they want, we have create them in Photoshop.

[Kelly33104489berq]

I'm having the same issue, if we create a template for a client and we have an irregular shape within that which we fill with an image, the client then can't switch out that image with an alternative via Adobe Express. They can replace colours and text but not an image within a shape which we have designed for them as a unique framing device. For example, see below, if the client wants to swap out this image within this unique shape there is no way for them to do this? 

[evat17410951]

Hi there,
I am having the same problem. A client needs to place different images into a quarter circle as it is part of the CD I created.
It is possible to do so in Canva but I really would like to stick to Adobe.

Please find a solution to this issue,

Thank you!

[Christiane35595591h8ws]

Hello,

I am also searching for a solution to make a clipping mask with a custom shape and an image on Adobe Express.

Did you find any solution?

Thanks 

[Michele S Jennings]

I have not found a true solution yet. I've created some photos in shapes outside of Express (Photoshop) to use for now, but that isn't very useful for our marketing team when they need to change info and images--we still have to get involved.

[Randune23]

I am having the same issue.  Claudio posted a great video on this subject two years ago.

https://youtu.be/Thbyf1P2wls?si=X0ONJ63GcDNP-uBP

The only problem is this is the OLD style Adobe Express.

My issue is I have an "I'm speaking at #safetyconnect" jpg that I want to insert my profile picture in the hexagon.  Since this is just a jpg, I created a new hexagon but I cannot figure out how to fit my profile picture into the hexagon and use the hexagon as the cutout.  Frustrating.

[keeshr · Accepted solution]

Hi, a little late reply but here's how on Adobe Express.

1. Upload the image you want. 

2. Once you've uploaded, double-click your image (it should look like the image below), and different frames and shapes will pop up on your screen for you to choose.

Then once you choose your shape, click off and the image should look like this.

[Michele S Jennings]

Thank you so much! 

[pu_2273]

but i don't want any of those shapes. i need a rectangle with 2 rounded corners.

[Jack in the box Creative1]

1000% this. We don't want custom presets for a shape - think clients style guides etc dictating one rounded corner on a square or rectangle for all images. This is normal and easy to do in adobe illustrator or indesign. Would love this very very obviously needed feature. I also thought you could mask an image to a shape or graphic to do this but i must of been mistaken (even ChatGPT thought it was just drag and drop over shape). I think maybe half of the designs I have to do for clients would dictate being able to customise a rectangle to have one or more rounded corners (but not all). 

[Michele S Jennings]

Agreed. We have specific brand shapes and the shapes already provided in Express aren't those required. Plus, we create templates for campaigns that our clients can go in a swap out photos, text, etc. without involving us again. As it is now, we either have to do those image swaps in Photoshop for them and keep a library out there OR we have to use Canva, which does allow us to use our custom shapes. I'd prefer to use Express, but for a lot of the projects we need to do, we have to use Canva.

[chance_3818]

This is helpful but those pre-selections dont include the one I want. How do I do a custom one?

[Michele S Jennings]

That's the problem; we haven't found an answer yet. 

[pu_2273]

are we expecting too much from a company that only made 18billion dollars in the last 12 month to create/copy a someone else's product – but only the bad bits, or maintain existing programs so they don't crash multiple times a day.

Give them a break! They are trying as hard as they can.

[Michele S Jennings]

LOL!

[Brittany_Rose3328]

Absolutely absurd that this feature is not in Adobe Express. Your competitors have had this for years. We have clients who need to be able to easily edit these files we provide. This needs to be added ASAP.

[thejanebradbury]

Hello @Brittany_Rose3328 cropping an image to a shape absolutely is in Adobe Express and has been for over a year. 

[Daniel Beiter]

@thejanebradbury Cropping to a shape (e.g. "heart", "triangle") yes, yet not to a custom shape (in my case a drop-like shape).

[David__B · Accepted solution]

I found this feature request for this functionality. Please add your vote and comments to let our developers know you'd like to see it added. https://adobeexpress.uservoice.com/forums/951181-adobe-express/suggestions/47063038-utilize-custom-s...

Thanks,
Dave